Border Patrol Arrests 3 After Vehicle Flees Immigration Checkpoint

Late on Saturday, a female U.S. citizen and two illegal aliens from Mexico were arrested by Wellton Station Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 8 Immigration Checkpoint after they attempted to avoid arrest by fleeing in a vehicle.

Agents referred a white 2008 Chevrolet Malibu to the secondary inspection area at approximately 10:00 p.m., after a U.S. Border Patrol canine positively alerted to an odor it was trained to detect emitting from the vehicle. Instead of following the directions of the agent, the driver sped off.

Agents gave chase and observed the vehicle pulled over in the Ligurta rest area. They performed an immigration stop on the vehicle as it started to get back onto the interstate. Agents subsequently apprehended the driver, a 55-year-old woman from Wellton, and two male Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the United States. The female was charged with harboring illegal aliens.